The sky above the academy twisted into darkness.
A suffocating pressure spread across the battlefield, forcing even the strongest students to their knees. The masked figure floated high above, surrounded by a violent storm of black energy.
Fear took over.
Some students couldn't even stand.
"T-This pressure… what is this?!"
Zareth Voidragon stood still.
Unaffected.
Unmoved.
His eyes locked onto the masked figure.
"…You haven't changed," Zareth said quietly.
The figure chuckled.
"And you're just as arrogant as ever."
Headmaster Valthor stepped forward, his aura flaring to life.
"State your identity," he commanded.
The masked man ignored him.
His gaze remained fixed on Zareth.
"…Do you recognize me?"
For a moment, silence lingered.
Then—
Zareth sighed.
"…Barely."
The answer hit like a blade.
The masked figure's aura spiked violently.
"Still looking down on me… even now?!"
Dark energy gathered in his hand, forming a massive sphere of destruction.
"I'll make sure this time… there's nothing left to remember!"
He launched it.
A beam of pure darkness shot toward the academy, tearing through the sky like a falling star.
Students screamed.
Teachers rushed to defend—
But they were too slow.
Zareth raised his hand.
The attack stopped.
Mid-air.
As if frozen by an invisible force.
"What…?" Valthor whispered.
Zareth didn't even look strained.
"…Too loud," he muttered.
With a slight flick of his finger—
The massive attack collapsed into nothingness.
Erased.
Silence fell again.
Even the masked figure froze.
"…Impossible."
Zareth took a single step forward.
The ground beneath him cracked.
"…If you wanted attention," he said, "you should've tried harder."
The masked figure growled and vanished instantly—
Reappearing right in front of Zareth.
His fist, coated in dark energy, shot forward.
Zareth didn't dodge.
The punch landed.
BOOM.
A shockwave exploded across the arena, shattering the ground and sending students flying backward.
Dust covered everything.
For a second…
No one could see.
Then the dust slowly cleared.
Zareth stood there.
Perfectly fine.
His hand had stopped the punch.
Effortlessly.
"…Same weakness," Zareth said calmly.
The masked figure's eyes widened behind the mask.
"Inconsistent flow of power. You still rely on brute force."
With a slight twist—
CRACK.
The masked figure's arm bent unnaturally.
A scream escaped him as he was thrown back across the sky.
He barely managed to stabilize himself, breathing heavily.
"…You… monster…"
Zareth's expression didn't change.
"You called me that before as well."
For the first time—
A hint of killing intent appeared in his eyes.
"…Right before you betrayed me."
The entire academy went silent.
Valthor's eyes widened.
"Betrayed…?"
The masked figure trembled.
"…You remember."
Zareth's voice turned colder.
"I remember everything."
The air itself began to distort.
Space cracked slightly around him.
"You were there," Zareth continued, "when they stabbed me from behind."
The masked figure laughed nervously.
"…We had no choice!"
"Wrong answer."
Zareth disappeared.
In less than a blink—
He was in front of the masked figure.
His hand reached out—
And grabbed the mask.
"…Let's see your face."
The figure struggled.
"No—!"
But it was too late.
The mask shattered.
Revealing a familiar face.
A former general.
One of the traitors.
"…You," Zareth said softly.
Fear filled the man's eyes.
"You were the weakest among them."
Those words broke him.
"Then… die properly this time."
Zareth raised his hand.
Dark void energy gathered—
Distorting reality itself.
Below, everyone watched in horror.
This wasn't a student.
This wasn't even a normal demon.
This was something far beyond.
Zareth Voidragon…
Was a king.
And the moment his power descended—
The world itself began to tremble.